Making the Band is underway and over the weekend, Diddy and the Combs Cartel launched the first set of auditions. The reboot of the music mogul's famed MTV series has garnered responses from thousands of aspiring artists hoping for their big break. While in the ATL, there were a few guest judges were there to help rate the singers including Monica, Dallas Austin, Jermaine Dupri, Pierre Thomas, Coach K, Quavo, and Brian Michael Cox.
It's safe to say that since those original Making the Band days, music culture has shifted. There has been a rise in independent artists experimenting with new sounds and paving their own successful career with the use of the internet alone, but with all of the evolution comes a few drawbacks. Jermaine Dupri took to his Twitter to reflect on the Making the Band auditions and shared some thoughts.
"One of the things that I notice and learned going to the #makingoftheband try outs, is that kids are using auto tune so much,the understanding of being tone def is gone and people be singing in all kinda keys," the So So Def founder wrote. "Lol this is really a epidemic." Diddy made it clear that he's looking for R&B singers who are going to bring down the house, so hopefully there were a few that made Jermaine's cut. Do you agree with him?
Quavo To Judge "Making The Band" Atlanta Auditions
Quavo and 112 are joining Monica and Quality Control’s Pee Thomas and Coach K as judges for the Atlanta auditions of Diddy’s “Making The Band” reboot.
Quavo and 112’s Mike and Slim will serve as judges for the Making The Band auditions in Atlanta, along with Monica and Quality Control’s Pierre “Pee” Thomas and Kevin “Coach K” Lee. Casting auditions for the reboot, which Diddy officially announced last July, will commence this weekend, beginning in Atlanta on Friday, February 28th at Center Stage Theater. While the official Making The Band’s social media accounts have confirmed that Mike and Slim will be joining the ranks of Monica, Pee, and Coach K, according to TMZ‘s production sources, fellow Atlanta native Quavo will also be partaking in the judging process to help find the next R&B supergroup.
Jon Kopaloff/Getty Images
Hopeful talent will audition in front of these celebrity guests as well as the “Combs Cartel”—which includes Diddy and his sons Quincy, Christian, and Justin. The open casting call will take place on Friday from 10:00am-6:00pm, with callbacks scheduled for Saturday by invitation only. Once the Atlanta auditions are complete, the Combs Cartel will head over to Houston and then to Charlotte, where DaBaby will serve as a judge alongside the famous father and sons to evaluate North Carolina’s budding talent. New York auditions will then take place from March 21st-22nd.
Leslie Jones Cussed Out Chris Rock For Getting Her "SNL" Audition
He told to "shut the f*ck up" and to go on the audition before he hung up on her.
If you're a comedian and your famous friend helps you get an audition in one of the most popular sketch comedy shows in the world, you don't turn them down. Leslie Jones is a beloved cast member of the long-running series Saturday Night Live, but prior to being a show staple, she was a touring stand-up comedian on the rise. Chris Rock was on the hit show from 1990 to 1993 and after seeing Leslie perform live, he thought she'd be a perfect addition. Leslie, on the other hand, did not.
Ben Gabbe / Stringer / Getty Images
"I didn't come to get the job—Howard, I literally went to tell them how dope I was and was gon' tell 'em no," Leslie said. "I really came out so people can see me and maybe that was gon' give me some opportunities, but I had all plans of saying no." She also explained, "[Chris] saw me at The Comedy Store one late night doing a spot and he was like, 'Yep, she's next level. She's ready.'" Chris then wrote down her name in his "funny book." Leslie added, "I think he called me and was like, 'Hey, I just talked to Lorne [Michaels], I just had dinner with Lorne. Somebody from SNL is gon' contact you for an audition."
She couldn't believe it and initially, she was upset. "Why the f*ck would you do that?" Leslie said she asked him. "I am not a sketch [comedian]. What the f*ck, Chris?! I don't do that sh*t. The f*ck am I gon' do? I'm a f*ckin' stand-up. I'm not gon' be able to do that sh*t." In true Chris Rock fashion, he told her to "shut the f*ck up" and go impress SNL. "And he hung up."
Watch Leslie share the funny story and explain what happened when she went on stage during her audition below.
